Clearview hires new baseball, softball coaches

Spring sports will have a new look at Clearview in 2026. Earlier this week the Clippers announced the hiring of new coaches for their baseball and softball programs. Veteran coach Jana Peachman will be taking over the softball program while 2013 Clearview grad Ryan Vargo was pegged to head the baseball program. Both coaches will take over teams that have languished near the bottom of the Lorain County League standings in recent years. "After all of the interviews and all of the applicants, we saw Ryan was a clear-cut choice," Clearview athletic director Jacob Morehouse said. "His determination and his enthusiasm to build the program back up really stood out to us. "Honestly, It's kind of the same thing with Jana. She had a plan, she is prepared to lead this program and create that positive and competitive culture that we're looking for. You want someone who has experience and having that history of being around the sport." Peachman was a Clearview assistant coach last spring under John McDermott, who left to take the girls basketball coaching position at Wellington. Peachman was formerly the head coach at Avon Lake. "I had been out of coaching for a couple of years and I just decided I love the sport and I love to use softball to teach lifelong lessons and use it to develop young people," Peachman said. Coming into the new season already having built relationships with many of the Clippers' young returning players will allow Peachman to hit the ground running. "I think it's absolutely crucial that I already know them," she said. "This way the girls will know what to expect. Having that relationship helps tremendously. Having stability in a position can help you grow something. Being able to have that allows you to grow the sport and the program. We can start where we left off last year." Vargo started his coaching career as the JV coach at Midview and spent the last four seasons on the coaching staff at Westlake. Clearview will be his first head coaching job. "It means a lot to be back where it all started," Vargo said. "Back when I was in school, Clearview was definitely a baseball school, so my goal is to come back and bring the things I've learned along the way and bring that winning brand back to Clearview baseball. "I've had goals since I was a first-year coach as the JV coach at Midview. I always wanted to be a head varsity coach one day. The timeline worked out really well." Vargo replaces Gilberto Quinones, who spent three years at the helm of the Clippers program. "No matter if it's college or high school, having alums as coaches is very advantageous to bringing past experiences and past success to the next generation," Vargo said. "I can look at these kids and tell them I walked in the same building as they did and it is possible to have that success at Clearview and go on to play at the next level." Clearview's last conference title in baseball was in 2018 in the now-defunct Patriot Athletic Conference. In softball, the championship drought dates back to 2012. Both coaches are confident they can led their respective teams back to the top of the standings. "I'm super excited," Peachman said. "Last year we had some fantastic young players who seemed like they were all in. I'm ready to get back and start doing some open gyms. Having stability in a position can help the program grow and thrive." Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.